Bottom-placed Nigeria’s Enyimba are facing Mozambique’s Black Bulls as they hope to secure their first win in Group D of the Confederation Cup.

A win at the match slated for Godswill Akpabio in Uyo may keep alive the slim qualification hopes.

 It is the Match Day 4 of the 21-year-old second-tier continental competition which no Nigerian club has ever won.

In the opening three group matches, Enyimba lost two and drew just one at home. Another loss will throw them out of contention in the current season.

While securing a berth to the next round looks bleak for Enyimba, this Sunday, several other teams are eyeing  spots in the quarter-finals. 

Among them, Moroccan side Berkane looks to maintain its perfect record, while Zamalek and Al Masry are set for an all-Egyptian clash that could define Group D’s standings.

Group A: Constantine in Control In Group A, CS Constantine faces Bravos do Maquis in Algeria, a match that could significantly impact the group’s top spot.

Both teams, along with Simba, are tied on six points, making every result critical. Meanwhile, Tunisian side CS Sfaxien, struggling without a single point, faces Simba in a must-win game to keep their slim qualification hopes alive.

Group B: Berkane’s Dominance Berkane, boasting three consecutive wins, travels to Mali to face Stade Malien.

A victory or draw would seal Berkane’s place in the quarter-finals and leave the second qualification slot open to a fierce contest. Stellenbosch hosts CD Lunda Sul in South Africa, with both sides aiming to stay in contention.

Group C: USM Alger’s Push for Qualification Defending champions USM Alger head to Côte d’Ivoire for a pivotal clash against second-placed ASEC Mimosas. With seven points already, Alger can secure progression with a win.

Jaraaf Dakar hosts Orapa United in Senegal, with both sides seeking their first group-stage victory.

Group D: Egyptian Derby in Focus Zamalek and Al Masry clash in a high-stakes derby in Alexandria.

Zamalek, topping the group with seven points, aims to extend its lead, while Al Masry, level on points with Black Bulls, looks to reignite its campaign.

 Elsewhere, Enyimba faces Black Bulls, hoping to secure its first win and keep its qualification hopes alive.

Fixtures and Kickoff Times (GMT)

• 05.01.2025, 16:00: Al Masry vs Zamalek
• 05.01.2025, 16:00: ASEC Mimosas vs USM Alger
• 05.01.2025, 16:00: CS Sfaxien vs Simba
• 05.01.2025, 16:00: Enyimba vs Black Bulls
• 05.01.2025, 16:00: Jaraaf vs Orapa United
• 05.01.2025, 16:00: Stellenbosch vs CD Lunda Sul
• 05.01.2025, 19:00: Constantine vs Bravos do Maquis
• 05.01.2025, 19:00: Stade Malien vs Berkane

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Simba snatched a late 2-1 victory against CS Sfaxien in Dar es Salaam, while Black Bulls Maputo stunned Enyimba with a dominant 3-0 win in Mozambique as the CAF Confederation Cup group stage reached its halfway point on Sunday.

The results leave several groups finely poised, with everything to play for in the remaining fixtures as African clubs continue their quest for continental glory:

Bravos do Maquis 3-2 Constantine

Bravos do Maquis edged CS Constantine 3-2 in a thrilling Group A encounter at Estádio 11 de Novembro. The Angolan side raced to a 2-0 lead by half-time through a Jó Paciência penalty and Francis’ long-range effort. Constantine mounted a spirited comeback as Dadi Mouaki and Chahine Belaouel struck to level the scores. However, substitute Célio netted a dramatic winner in the 94th minute to hand Maquis their second win and move level with Constantine and Simba on six points.

Zamalek 1-0 Al Masry

Zamalek triumphed 1-0 in a tightly contested Egyptian derby against Al Masry at Borg El Arab Stadium. Zizo’s stunning strike from outside the box in the 63rd minute proved the difference. Despite Masry’s late pressure, Zamalek’s defence held firm to seal the win, propelling them to the top of Group D with seven points.

Simba 2-1 CS Sfaxien

Simba edged CS Sfaxien 2-1 in a thrilling Group A encounter at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. The visitors struck first through Hazem Haj Hassen, but Simba responded with a Kibu Denis header in the 7th minute. The Tanzanian side dominated the second half, and Denis completed his brace in the dying moments to seal the victory. Simba now climb to second place in Group A.

Black Bulls 3-0 Enyimba

Black Bulls Maputo stunned Nigerian giants Enyimba with a dominant 3-0 win in Group D. Rume Akporoh’s first-half header set the tone before second-half strikes from Fidel Sousa and Ayuba Francis secured the result. Enyimba struggled to respond, leaving them bottom of the group.

Lunda Sul 0-1 Stellenbosch

South African club Stellenbosch snatched a narrow 1-0 away win over CD Lunda Sul. Devin Titus’ late header in the 89th minute proved decisive as the South Africans moved into third place in Group B. Lunda Sul missed crucial chances in a tight encounter.

Orapa United 0-0 Jaraaf

Orapa United and Jaraaf played to a goalless draw in Group C. Both sides created opportunities, but poor finishing and resolute goalkeeping saw the points shared. The result keeps both teams struggling in the group standings.

-CAF

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Chances of Nigeria’s Enyimba navigating into the knock-out stage of the CAF Confederation Cup have further diminished as they lost 3-0 on Sunday to the supposedly weakest team of Group D – Mozambique’s Black Bull.

What a rout! They have thus played three group matches without a win – losing two and drawing one at home.  

Enyimba started the game on their back foot as they were a goal down after a quarter of an hour. Nigerian-born Rume Akporoh opened the scoring for the Mozambicans before another Nigerian-born Francis Ayuba Abubakar  put the final nail in Enyimba’s coffin in the 64^th minute, scoring the third goal after Fidel De Sousa’s 57th-minute goal.

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